A cobpobation op new yobk



MOLDING MACHINE Filed NOV- l4, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet Invehc or WaPoer C. Patterson,

His A'b'borneg.

Patented June 11, 1929.

PATEN T. OFFICE.

WALTER. C. PATTERSON, or ONTARIO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR T EDISON ELECTRIC APPLIANCE COMPANY, or, CHICAGO, ILLINOISA CORPORATION or NEW YORK.

MOLDING MACHINE.

My invention relates to molding machines,

more particularly to machines for makin molds from sandfor use in castmgmeta parts, and has for its object the provis on of'a simple and efficlent machine for making molds. I

My invention is particularly useful in the making of moldsfor casting small parts,

such, for example, as flatiron parts. In the operation of my machine the molds are made from wet sand and removed from the machine, after which they are sprayed and baked,

For a more-complete understanding of my invention reference should be had to theaccompanying drawingsin which Fig 1 1s a perspective View of a molding machlne embodying. my invention showing a completed mold ready to be removed from the machine; Fig. 2 is a similar view illustratmg the removal of the mold; Fig. 3 1811.1). elevatlon view ofa mold; while Fig. 4: is a perspective view showing the assembly of'a group of moldsv ready for castlng.

Referring to thedrawlng, I have shown my invention in one form as-applied to the making of sand molds for casting flatiron parts,- although obviously-my invention has application in themaking of molds for various other parts.

bottom plates of the desired configuration mounted on a short pedestal support 11, which in turn is mounted on a metal base member 12. Pivoted on posts 13 and 14,,secured to the front side of the base, is a frame member 15 which may be referred to asfa stripper plate. This plate is skeleton in form having a central opening-which fits closely around the top of thegpedestal 11 to form a sand tight'joint therewith and rests U-shaped frame 17 for supporting thexsand.

mold is placed on the stripper plate 15,'a pin 18 being secured to the stripper plate on each side of this member so as to secure it in position laterally on the stripper plate. The

1 front end of the member 17 abuts against the p The pattern 1Q is fixed in position and consists of two flatlron sole or The top surface of thisprotuberances on the stripper plate which form its pivoted support. This frame member 17 will be hereinafter referred to as a flask. Itsinner configuration conforms .to the configuration of the pattern but issomewhat larger than the pattern so that the sand maybe packed in the flask completely around. the top and sides ofthe pattern.

A skeleton-like plate member 19 is pivotally secured to the back end of the support 12, one of its pivots being indicated in Fig. 2 by referencenumeral 20. This plate is mounted on the upper ends of two arms, the lower ends of which are pivoted to the base. Only one of these arms 21 is shown in the drawing. This plate 19 will be hereinafterreferred to as the strike-oil plate. It is mounted at such height above the base that it may be swung over on to the top'of the flask 17, as indicatedin Fig, 1', and secured in place in this position by means'of a latch 22 cooperating witlrthe stripper plate. Secured to the upright arms carrying the strike-off plate 19 is a; member 23 which, when the parts are assembled, closes the back end of the flask 17. This member23 carries a central protuberance24 which defines a 'V-shaped recessin the mold forming a gate-for the molten metal, The internal configurationof the strike-off plate 19 conforms with theinternal configurationof the flask 17.

A framework embracingthe base is provided, this framework comprising upright members 25. and 26 on oppositesides of the base which are pivoted-at their lower ends (pivots not shown) and are joined together at their tops by crossbars 27 and 28. Mounted on these crossbars is aplate 29, which'may be termed a squeezer plate. This plate has an outside configuration which is complementary With the internal configuration, of the strike ofi' plate 19 andthe plate is mounted in such a position that when the supports 25 and 26 are vertical the plate is directly above the strike-oft plate. The "object of the squeez'er plate is to compress the'sand in the mold and to eifect'this the base 12 and parts carried by it are mounted on suitable means whereby the mold may be raised,sueh as air pressure elevating mechanism 30, controlled by "a lever 31. When the mold israised the squeezer plate is guided into the strikes-off plate by meansofpins 32 and 32 on each side of the squeezer plate which fit in apertures in projecting lugs on the stripper plate 15. Only one lug with an aperture'33 is shown in the drawing, this aperture receiving the pin 32. It is contemplated that the squeezer plate will: have the same thickness as the strikeeolf plate so that the sand will be compressed to the upper level of the flask 17 Or, in other words, the squeczer plate is arranged to be forced into the strike-off plate for a distance equal to the thickness of the strike-off plate.

As shown, the sand from which the mold is made is contained in a suitable bin 34 having an opening which is on the same level and just behind the strike-off plate 19. A board 35 is provided between the bin and the strike-off plate, this board being tiltable in an upward direction to permit the strikeoif plate to be tilted back, as indicaed in Fig. 2.

. In the operation of the machine, a flask 17 is first put in and the parts assembled as previously described and as shown in Fig. 1. The operator then fills the mold with sand 36 from the bin, this sand being quite damp so that it will adhere together when compressed. The surplus sand. is removed by passing a straight edge over the top of the strike-oft plate. The mold is then raised by means of the air pressure elevator 30 so as to compress the sand by means of the squeezer plate 29 and the mold is then lowered. This period in the making of the mold is illustrated in F 1. The sand mold is then removed by first tilting back the frame and the strike-off plate as indicated in Fig. 2, and then tilting upward and forward the stripper plate tothe position shown. A sprin latch 37 cooperates with a projection 38 on the hub of the stripper plate to hold it in its raised position, as shown in Fig. 2. The flask with the sand mold is then removed from the stripper plate, after which an empty flask is put in place and the operation repeated.

As shown in'Fig. 3, the sand mold 39 thus formed is openat one side. The opposite side of the mold, however, forms a smooth surface, and a plurality of molds are stacked together side by side, as indicated in Fig. 4, the back of one mold constituting'the front wall of theadjacent mold. The mold at the end is closedby a suitable plate 40 and a similar plate or obstruction, not shown, is provided for closing the opposite end of the channel: 41' intowhi'ch the molten metal is poured. It will be observed that this channel is. formed by the series of recesses 4:1 in the molds, 1 these recesses being formed by the gate print 24. A suitable protuberance is provided on the top of the stripper plate which forms a recess 42 in each mold through which the molten metal is poured into the two sections 43 and 4A.

,The sand mold can be very readily handled in the supporting flask 17, the flask being always placed in upright positions with the open end upward. Preferably the sand molds after being removed from the molding machine are first sprayed with a suitable mixture, such as a mixture of graphite, molasses and water. The molds are then assembled as indicated in Fig. 4; on a suitable conveyor (not shown) on which they are passed through an oven where they are baked. I have found that a baking period-of one hour at a temperature of 7 00 F. is satisfactory. Upon e1nerg ing from the oven themolten metal is poured into the molds to form the castings. Preferably the castings remain in the molds until they are comparatively cool whereby the castings cool slowly and are relatively soft so that subsequentannealing is not required. Furthermore, since the molds are thoroughly dry and also hot when the molten metal is poured in, the outside of the casting is not chilled as is done with green or wet sand molds.

Preferably the pattern 10 and the squeezer plate'29 are provided with electric heaters built into their interiors whereby they are heated-toasu'lticient temperature to prevent the sand from sticking to these parts. These heaters are not shown although electric conductors 44: are shown leading to the hcaters on the squeczer plate 29.

Projections l5 and 46 are provided on the is pusheddown the valve is opened to admit air. A stop 47 is provided on the frame 26 just below the lever in such position that when the frame is tilted back as shown in Fig. 2, the stop prevents the lever from being depressed to operate the elevatingmechanism. The stop thus acts. as a safety device to prevent operation of the-elevating mechanism until the frame has been swung forward to the proper position.

The lever 31 also controls avalve to admit air to two vibrators, one on each side of the elevating mechanism 30. Only oneof'the'vibrators, designated by the reference numeral 4:8,is shown, this vibrator being supplied with air through a hose 49. The vibrators are secured-to the plate 50 on which the base. member 12 rests. Their function is to vibrate the mold during the squeezing operation to more thorough compact the sand. 7

While I have described my invention as embodied in concrete form and as operating in a specific manner in accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, it should be understood that I do not limit my invention thereto since various modifications thereof will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of my invention the scope of which is set forth in the annexed claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A machine for making sand moldscomprising a pattern, a mold frame surrounding said pattern, a movable support for said frame, a second frame movable onto said mold frame having an opening registering witl said mold frame, a pressure member fitting in said second frame, and means for relatively moving said pressure member and said. second frame to compress the sand in said mold frame.

2. A machine for making sand molds com prising a pattern, a mold frame surrounding said pattern, a pivoted member forming a support for said mold frame, a pivoted frame having an opening registeringwith the opening in said mold frame, a pressure member fittingin said second pivoted memher, and means for relatively moving said pressure member and said second pivoted member to compress the sand.

3. A machine for making sand molds com prising a base, a pattern on said base, a strip per plate pivotally mounted on one side of said base arranged to'be'lowered around said pattern, a mold frame on said stripper plate surrounding said pattern, a strike-off plate pivoted on said base arranged to be lowered on said mold frame, said strike-off plate having an opening registering with the opening in said mold frame, a pressure plate arranged to fit in said strike-off plate mounted above said strike-01f plate, and means forrelatively moving said base and said pressure plate so as to force said pressure plate into said stripper plate to compress the sand. p 4. A machine for making sand molds comprising a base member, a patternon said base member, a mold frame surrounding said pattern, a movable support for said frame, asecond frame movable onto said mold frame having an opening registering therewith, a pressure member fitting in said second frame, a support for said pressure member above said I second frame, and means for elevating said base member to compress the sand.-

5. A machine for making sand molds comprising a pattern, a mold frame surrounding said pattern, a pivoted member forming a support for said mold frame, a second pivoted frame resting on saidmold frame having an opening registering with the opening in said mold frame, elevating means forming a support for said parts, a pivoted frame above said elevating means, and a pressure member carried by said frame arranged to enterthe opemng 1n sald second plvoted member to compress the sand when said elevating means said base, a mold frame on said support surrounding said pattern, a second frame movable onto said mold frame having an opening registering with said mold frame, a pivotal connection between said second frame and said base, and means fitting in said second frame for compressing the sand in said mold frame.

7. A machine for making sand molds comprising a base, a pedestal on said base, a pattern mounted on said pedestal, a mold frame support closely surrounding said pedestal having its upper surface substantially flush with the lower extremity of said pattern, a pivotal connection between said support and said base, a mold frame on saidsupport surrounding said pattern, a second frame movable onto said mold frame having an opening registering withsa-id mold frame, a pivotal connection between said second frame and said base, elevating mechanism forminga support for said base, and a pressure member mounted above said frame arranged to enter said second frame to compress the sand in said mold frame when said elevating mechanism is operated. i

, 8. A machine for making sand molds comprising a base, a pedestal on said'base, a pattern mounted on said pedestal, a mold frame support closely surrounding said pedestal having its upper surfacesubstantially flush with the lower extremity of said pattern, a pivotal connection between said support and said base, a mold frame on said support surrounding saidpattern, a second frame movable onto'said mold frame having an opening registering with said mold frame, a pivotal connection between said second frame and support for said base, a frame pivotally movable o'ver said elevatlng mechanism, and a pressure member carried by said frame ar-' WVALTER C. PATTERSON.

said base, elevating mechanism forming a 

